What is degaussing?
Since magnetism is invisible, some say that degaussing (the removal of residual magnetism) is black magic. Others refer to it as an art. Regardless of how you describe it, degaussing or demagnetizing needs to be done systematically and thoroughly in order for it to be effective in preventing damaging shaft currents. WHAT SIGNS SHOULD YOU RECOGNIZE? The most common signs of shaft current damage (sometimes referred to as electromagnetic discharge) are frosting, pitting or spark tracks on bearings, collars, journals and even shafts. This type of damage is often passed off as mechanical wear, and the typical solution is to incur the cost and replace the damaged parts. If these parts are instead repaired and sent for machining, more residual magnetism may be introduced, causing more severe damage visible only at the next shutdown. In some machines with shaft current problems, the loss of material can be so severe that there is radial or axial movement of the shaft. Proximity probes may regi
